Daily Updates of the Latest News for The Philip Glass Community - Edited by Richard Guérin

January 22, 2010

Apple Report

It was a thrilling night indeed last night at the Apple Store in the SoHo district of New York. The way these free concerts work is a bit strange to me. Starting earlier in the day the store gives out wristbands and has people start lining up for the concert which is literally hours away. So, the entire perimeter of downstairs of the store was filled with people waiting to get in. An announcement had to be made that those without wristbands, of which there were many, would not be allowed in. The second story of the building is where the concert took place and it was closed to the non-wristband possessing public.

The program which was recorded as part of iTunes "Live from SoHo" series will be released sometime in the near future.

Glass opened with two pieces for solo piano: étude no.1 and the classic Metamorphosis No.2. The composer then introduced cellist Wendy Sutter with whom he played what was announced as two selections from The Screens but that I heard as three pieces (I think France and The Orchard were announced, but The French Leiutenant Dreams was also included.) Immediately after violinist Tim Fain who tore apart Knee Play No.2 from Einstein on the Beach. It was truly thrilling.

The Glass Chamber Players, whose debut record will be released by OMM in April, performed a rousing account of the Glass String Sextet (Symphony No.3), and the program closed with Philip and Ira Glass performing Wichita Vortex Sutra which thrilled the throngs of fans of the latter Glass' weekly radio show.

I was told the recorded sound was excellent despite the ambient noise from the large crowd and the retail store which was still open downstairs. It is not a concert hall so the acoustics situation was a tricky one. All the the pieces were acoustic with the exception of the amplified narrator on Wichita. I was sitting close to the stage but also right in front of the PA speakers. I can't attest to the amplified sound quality in the rest of the space but it sounded good up front.

It was a great festive environment. Thanks to everyone involved last night from the fully packed house (fire
code limit of 300) to the musicians themselves. The "Philip Glass Live
From SoHo" event was a total success.